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Imperiled Young Widows #1
A Perilous Plan
Penelope Hammond finds herself a widow at the age of twenty-three, having been married five years to a man she barely knew. Her husband, David Hammond, Lord Hampstead, was a member of the House of Lords who rarely said more than a few words to her in a week’s time--and often did not come home at night.
But Lord Hampstead was from a wealthy, powerful London family with no enemies, so why was he murdered?
Penelope is a penniless widow with few friends and only her cold grandmother to lean on. When she finds herself pursued by both English officials and French spies, she doesn’t know who to trust—until a handsome Member of Parliament, Henry Gilchrist, saves her from being attacked and kidnapped. Mr. Gilchrist seems so determined to help her, but can she trust him?
Henry Gilchrist seems to know more about her husband than she does--that he was unfaithful to her with a young Frenchwoman who Penelope thought was her friend, that his gambling problem had sunk him deeply in debt, and that he had stolen some very important plans that could put the entire country in danger. And now both the French and the English governments think she knows where these plans are.
Penelope had no idea that her husband stole secret plans and intended to sell to the French, but no one seems to believe her, except Henry Gilchrist. When she starts to fall in love with the handsome young Member of the House of Commons, will he be too imbittered from a former lost love to accept his own growing feelings? But first they must save themselves from those who would do them harm, or there will be no future for them, either together or apart.
But Lord Hampstead was from a wealthy, powerful London family with no enemies, so why was he murdered?
Penelope is a penniless widow with few friends and only her cold grandmother to lean on. When she finds herself pursued by both English officials and French spies, she doesn’t know who to trust—until a handsome Member of Parliament, Henry Gilchrist, saves her from being attacked and kidnapped. Mr. Gilchrist seems so determined to help her, but can she trust him?
Henry Gilchrist seems to know more about her husband than she does--that he was unfaithful to her with a young Frenchwoman who Penelope thought was her friend, that his gambling problem had sunk him deeply in debt, and that he had stolen some very important plans that could put the entire country in danger. And now both the French and the English governments think she knows where these plans are.
Penelope had no idea that her husband stole secret plans and intended to sell to the French, but no one seems to believe her, except Henry Gilchrist. When she starts to fall in love with the handsome young Member of the House of Commons, will he be too imbittered from a former lost love to accept his own growing feelings? But first they must save themselves from those who would do them harm, or there will be no future for them, either together or apart.
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2021
155 people are currently reading
1152 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Dickerson
41 books6,584 followersMelanie Dickerson is the New York Times bestselling author of happily-ever-after romance. She believes in love, laughter, afternoon tea, and the power of story.
With a million books sold and numerous awards, including two Christy Awards, two Golden Quills, a National Readers Choice Award, Christian Retailing’s Best, and Book Buyers’ Best Awards, her books have hit #1 in her category on the New York Times bestseller list.
When she’s not writing, Melanie can be found watching Pride and Prejudice for the hundredth time, cozying up to her handsome hero husband, or shaking her head at her slightly unhinged Jack Russell terrier. She lives in the beautiful foothills of the Appalachians near Huntsville, Alabama.
With a million books sold and numerous awards, including two Christy Awards, two Golden Quills, a National Readers Choice Award, Christian Retailing’s Best, and Book Buyers’ Best Awards, her books have hit #1 in her category on the New York Times bestseller list.
When she’s not writing, Melanie can be found watching Pride and Prejudice for the hundredth time, cozying up to her handsome hero husband, or shaking her head at her slightly unhinged Jack Russell terrier. She lives in the beautiful foothills of the Appalachians near Huntsville, Alabama.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
October 22, 2021
About this book:
“Penelope Hammond finds herself a widow at the age of twenty-three, having been married five years to a man she barely knew. Her husband, David Hammond, Lord Hampstead, was a member of the House of Lords who rarely said more than a few words to her in a week’s time--and often did not come home at night.
But Lord Hampstead was from a wealthy, powerful London family with no enemies, so why was he murdered?
Penelope is a penniless widow with few friends and only her cold grandmother to lean on. When she finds herself pursued by both English officials and French spies, she doesn’t know who to trust—until a handsome Member of Parliament, Henry Gilchrist, saves her from being attacked and kidnapped. Mr. Gilchrist seems so determined to help her, but can she trust him?
Henry Gilchrist seems to know more about her husband than she does--that he was unfaithful to her with a young Frenchwoman who Penelope thought was her friend, that his gambling problem had sunk him deeply in debt, and that he had stolen some very important plans that could put the entire country in danger. And now both the French and the English governments think she knows where these plans are.
Penelope had no idea that her husband stole secret plans and intended to sell to the French, but no one seems to believe her, except Henry Gilchrist. When she starts to fall in love with the handsome young Member of the House of Commons, will he be too imbittered from a former lost love to accept his own growing feelings? But first they must save themselves from those who would do them harm, or there will be no future for them, either together or apart.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Imperiled Young Widows Regency Romance” series.
Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned, remembered, & quoted; Prayers & Thanking God (including a prayer of bargaining with God); Talks about God & forgiving someone; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, sermons, & ministers; A mention of Godspeed; A mention of a book of sermons; A mention of sins;
*Note: Mentions of evil men; A mention of a novel with ghosts.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘damnable’ (is used to describe a group of people), a ‘shut up’, and a ‘stupid’; Some eye rolling; Penelope finds her husband’s murdered body & Recalling it (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing someone poisoned & dying (up to semi-detailed); Stabbing someone (up to semi-detailed); Being kidnapped, slapped, & threatened with harm, torture, and death with a knife and a gun (up to semi-detailed); Shooting at enemies (barely-above-not-detailed); Drinking wine; Many mentions of bodies, how the murders happened, poison, stabbing someone, shooting someone, gunshots, blood/bleeding, killing, & murderers (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a possible war, invasion, & deaths; Mentions of mercenaries being willing to kill someone in their way; Mentions of spies & traitors, & killing the enemies (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of threats, torture/beatings, & weapons; Mentions of kidnappings; Mentions of thieves/robbers, stealing, stolen items, & a robbery; Mentions of gambling & debts; Mentions of rumors & gossip; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of wine, drinks, drinking, & drunks; A few mentions of bullies; A couple mentions of prison; A couple mentions of envy; A couple mentions of smoking; A couple mentions of manure; A mention of death by the natives’ tomahawks in America that the British has heard a lot about; A mention of a friend dying from consumption; A mention of divorce; A mention of a dog that died; A mention of using the bathroom in the trees.
Sexual Content- A hand kiss (greeting, but still barely-above-not-detailed), a forehead kiss, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and two semi-detailed kisses; Staring at another’s lips (once); Wanting to kiss someone/be kissed (barely-above-not-detailed); Dancing, Embraces, & Touches (and recalling both, up to semi-detailed); Winks & Blushes; Noticing & Staring; Penelope struggles with wondering why her late husband didn’t love her; Mentions of Penelope’s late husband having multiple affairs, paramours/lovers/ladies of the night, & not being home at night (barely-above-not-detailed, he also gives his approval for her taking a lover if she wants to do so, though she has no intention to do that; a note from a paramour saying her heart and body is his); Mentions of wondering about adultery/infidelity, husbands being faithful, & those who are not; Mentions of flirting, flirts, & being scandalous; Mentions of reputations & impropriety; A couple mentions of Penelope’s grandmother asking if they ever tried having an heir (which Penelope says in her mind that she wasn’t the one in the marriage who slept elsewhere most nights); A couple mentions of men taking a wife just for procreation & that the wife should herself more available to him; A couple mentions of a woman who slept with a married man; A couple mentions of sneaking kisses; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a man flirting with married women & even fighting in a duel; Love, falling in love, & the emotions.
-Penelope “Penny” Hammond, age 23
-Henry Gilchrist
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1810
279 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
Melanie Dickerson’s prior regency trilogy “The Spies of Regency London” is probably my favorite series by her (yes, more than her fairytale series), so I was interested in this new series as well. I’m not sure if it’s for me, though, after reading this first book.
Neither Penelope nor Henry endeared themselves to me, for different reasons. I don’t fully understand why Henry thought bad of Penelope in the middle and last hundred pages of the book. She’s told him a lot about herself (such as being forced to marry) that should have given him the impression that she isn’t after money. It’s revealed his past with a woman is why he thinks that way, but I thought it was terribly wrong of him to assume that about Penelope—especially because he didn’t think that way towards her in the beginning. Suspicious, yes, but not a poor money-grabbing woman.
Some things felt strange in this time-period (such as Penelope mentioning a woman who slept with a married man (which, albeit, is accurate to say, but I’m more familiar with this being slang of today’s time, so it felt strange to see in a regency book) and Penelope wanting to punch the same woman in the face (which again, to me feels more like a reaction of current day, but maybe not?)). There was also more than a couple unlikely moments in the plot and I had a hard time keeping my interest in the story.
Overall, while this book was clean, it’s one I hesitate mentioning to girls ages 9-19 because of the plotline. I’m not sure if I’ll be continuing this series, but it feels like it’s near to the author’s heart and I hope that if those who have been in a similar situation as Penelope read it, they will find some healing within the pages.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Penelope Hammond finds herself a widow at the age of twenty-three, having been married five years to a man she barely knew. Her husband, David Hammond, Lord Hampstead, was a member of the House of Lords who rarely said more than a few words to her in a week’s time--and often did not come home at night.
But Lord Hampstead was from a wealthy, powerful London family with no enemies, so why was he murdered?
Penelope is a penniless widow with few friends and only her cold grandmother to lean on. When she finds herself pursued by both English officials and French spies, she doesn’t know who to trust—until a handsome Member of Parliament, Henry Gilchrist, saves her from being attacked and kidnapped. Mr. Gilchrist seems so determined to help her, but can she trust him?
Henry Gilchrist seems to know more about her husband than she does--that he was unfaithful to her with a young Frenchwoman who Penelope thought was her friend, that his gambling problem had sunk him deeply in debt, and that he had stolen some very important plans that could put the entire country in danger. And now both the French and the English governments think she knows where these plans are.
Penelope had no idea that her husband stole secret plans and intended to sell to the French, but no one seems to believe her, except Henry Gilchrist. When she starts to fall in love with the handsome young Member of the House of Commons, will he be too imbittered from a former lost love to accept his own growing feelings? But first they must save themselves from those who would do them harm, or there will be no future for them, either together or apart.”
Series: Book #1 in the “Imperiled Young Widows Regency Romance” series.
Spiritual Content- Scriptures are mentioned, remembered, & quoted; Prayers & Thanking God (including a prayer of bargaining with God); Talks about God & forgiving someone; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God & forgiveness; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of churches, church going, sermons, & ministers; A mention of Godspeed; A mention of a book of sermons; A mention of sins;
*Note: Mentions of evil men; A mention of a novel with ghosts.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘damnable’ (is used to describe a group of people), a ‘shut up’, and a ‘stupid’; Some eye rolling; Penelope finds her husband’s murdered body & Recalling it (barely-above-not-detailed); Seeing someone poisoned & dying (up to semi-detailed); Stabbing someone (up to semi-detailed); Being kidnapped, slapped, & threatened with harm, torture, and death with a knife and a gun (up to semi-detailed); Shooting at enemies (barely-above-not-detailed); Drinking wine; Many mentions of bodies, how the murders happened, poison, stabbing someone, shooting someone, gunshots, blood/bleeding, killing, & murderers (up to semi-detailed); Mentions of a possible war, invasion, & deaths; Mentions of mercenaries being willing to kill someone in their way; Mentions of spies & traitors, & killing the enemies (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of threats, torture/beatings, & weapons; Mentions of kidnappings; Mentions of thieves/robbers, stealing, stolen items, & a robbery; Mentions of gambling & debts; Mentions of rumors & gossip; Mentions of hatred; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of wine, drinks, drinking, & drunks; A few mentions of bullies; A couple mentions of prison; A couple mentions of envy; A couple mentions of smoking; A couple mentions of manure; A mention of death by the natives’ tomahawks in America that the British has heard a lot about; A mention of a friend dying from consumption; A mention of divorce; A mention of a dog that died; A mention of using the bathroom in the trees.
Sexual Content- A hand kiss (greeting, but still barely-above-not-detailed), a forehead kiss, two barely-above-not-detailed kisses, and two semi-detailed kisses; Staring at another’s lips (once); Wanting to kiss someone/be kissed (barely-above-not-detailed); Dancing, Embraces, & Touches (and recalling both, up to semi-detailed); Winks & Blushes; Noticing & Staring; Penelope struggles with wondering why her late husband didn’t love her; Mentions of Penelope’s late husband having multiple affairs, paramours/lovers/ladies of the night, & not being home at night (barely-above-not-detailed, he also gives his approval for her taking a lover if she wants to do so, though she has no intention to do that; a note from a paramour saying her heart and body is his); Mentions of wondering about adultery/infidelity, husbands being faithful, & those who are not; Mentions of flirting, flirts, & being scandalous; Mentions of reputations & impropriety; A couple mentions of Penelope’s grandmother asking if they ever tried having an heir (which Penelope says in her mind that she wasn’t the one in the marriage who slept elsewhere most nights); A couple mentions of men taking a wife just for procreation & that the wife should herself more available to him; A couple mentions of a woman who slept with a married man; A couple mentions of sneaking kisses; A couple mentions of jealousy; A mention of a man flirting with married women & even fighting in a duel; Love, falling in love, & the emotions.
-Penelope “Penny” Hammond, age 23
-Henry Gilchrist
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1810
279 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- One Star
Older High School Teens- Two Stars
My personal Rating- Two Stars
Melanie Dickerson’s prior regency trilogy “The Spies of Regency London” is probably my favorite series by her (yes, more than her fairytale series), so I was interested in this new series as well. I’m not sure if it’s for me, though, after reading this first book.
Neither Penelope nor Henry endeared themselves to me, for different reasons. I don’t fully understand why Henry thought bad of Penelope in the middle and last hundred pages of the book. She’s told him a lot about herself (such as being forced to marry) that should have given him the impression that she isn’t after money. It’s revealed his past with a woman is why he thinks that way, but I thought it was terribly wrong of him to assume that about Penelope—especially because he didn’t think that way towards her in the beginning. Suspicious, yes, but not a poor money-grabbing woman.
Some things felt strange in this time-period (such as Penelope mentioning a woman who slept with a married man (which, albeit, is accurate to say, but I’m more familiar with this being slang of today’s time, so it felt strange to see in a regency book) and Penelope wanting to punch the same woman in the face (which again, to me feels more like a reaction of current day, but maybe not?)). There was also more than a couple unlikely moments in the plot and I had a hard time keeping my interest in the story.
Overall, while this book was clean, it’s one I hesitate mentioning to girls ages 9-19 because of the plotline. I’m not sure if I’ll be continuing this series, but it feels like it’s near to the author’s heart and I hope that if those who have been in a similar situation as Penelope read it, they will find some healing within the pages.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
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September 9, 2024
The book wasn’t my favorite of Melanie Dickerson, but it wasn’t bad either. I always devour her books…lol! 😂 Henry Gilchrist and Penelope Hammond complimented each other perfectly. He was a wonderful gentleman. I wish they would have just told each other that they loved each other instead of just tiptoeing around the fact. Penelope has gone through a lot in her life including her late husband’s infidelity and his murder. But she heals and moves forward with the help of God, Henry, and Henry’s sister, Jane. I wish she would have told her grandma no from the very beginning and not let her try to control her. I like how she was determined to only marry for love from now on. Reminds me of Elizabeth’s quote from Pride and Prejudice. I liked the part where he washed her feet. Something about it was just humble and yet beautiful to me! Also, Jane is a lovely girl…I’ll be interested to read her story in Book 4. Overall, it was a good read filled with action and romance!
October 1, 2021
Danger, mystery and healing
Penelope and Henry both have trust issues, but are kind and generous. Throughout the dangerous encounters, they are brave and learn to trust and love each other.
Penelope and Henry both have trust issues, but are kind and generous. Throughout the dangerous encounters, they are brave and learn to trust and love each other.
July 19, 2024
While I didn't love this book as much as the rest of Melanie Dickerson's books, I still really enjoyed it! Penelope was so sweet, and Henry was so good to her.
February 19, 2022
2.5 stars
I really struggled through this book. The whole premise was based on a man who cheated on his wife with his lovers and stole government secrets. While I enjoyed the intrigue of the latter idea, the first part just irked me. I know it happens, and I know Regency women turned a blind eye to this behaviour. However, Penelope as a character was rather of mopey/“woe is me,” and so naive and optimistic that I struggled to sympathise with her. Her husband’s infidelity and cold, indifferent treatment of her were repeated brought up in conversation to the point of being over-mentioned.
There also a scene where Penelope bargains with God: “If you let me escape safely, I’ll do all these things.” It just bothered me.
I wanted to like this book as I enjoy the Regency era, but it just wasn’t for me. :(
I really struggled through this book. The whole premise was based on a man who cheated on his wife with his lovers and stole government secrets. While I enjoyed the intrigue of the latter idea, the first part just irked me. I know it happens, and I know Regency women turned a blind eye to this behaviour. However, Penelope as a character was rather of mopey/“woe is me,” and so naive and optimistic that I struggled to sympathise with her. Her husband’s infidelity and cold, indifferent treatment of her were repeated brought up in conversation to the point of being over-mentioned.
There also a scene where Penelope bargains with God: “If you let me escape safely, I’ll do all these things.” It just bothered me.
I wanted to like this book as I enjoy the Regency era, but it just wasn’t for me. :(
July 7, 2023
FREE on Kindle
July 7, 2023
https://amzn.to/44gwnzk
I read this on #KindleUnlimited
July 7, 2023
https://amzn.to/44gwnzk
I read this on #KindleUnlimited
October 14, 2021
A Perilous Plan is so full of suspense and mystery that I had a hard time putting it down! I loved the immediate intrigue that pulled me in and kept me turning the pages. Henry Gilchrist was a handsome man and I loved how sweet and kind her was. This Christian fiction suspense novel has everything that makes up a fantastic story. I loved Penny, she was brave, bold, and kind. A story full of danger, treason, romance, and trust, A Perilous Plan is one Christian fiction novel you do not want to miss! I received a copy of this book for free; all thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 4, 2022
I loved Melanie Dickerson when I first found her as a college kid. I haven't read her books in a few years and I'm wondering if I outgrew her or if this just wasn't my cup of tea. The last two books of hers I read just weren't as good as I remember her first books being, which was kind of disappointing.
I still really respect what she does and she's the first author I ever saw do Christian YA (and fairytales no less!). Books like this one scratch the Hallmark itch. They're comfort reads for me. Predictable, happy ending, more fluff than depth and intrigue. And I do believe these books have a place. I just wouldn't say it was the best read ever. And I probably wouldn't reread this one. I may try a different series and see if I like that better.
There were several areas I struggled with in this book. It was really repetitive. Some of the lines of thought, the plot points, and even the phrases themselves became redundant. I got to a point where I wanted to skim and just see how the story turned out, which I've never done with a Dickerson book before. I didn't really understand why the characters behaved the way they did. Why they were so determined to misunderstand each other. They pined for one another, but then argued about whether or not to trust their pining or the other, and then said they did, but backed away. It was tug and pull through the whole book. And none of it felt like growth. I get starting out with the wounds, but they just complained about the wounds the whole book and then at the end...suddenly grew brave enough in spite of them? I don't know. I just wanted to see more progress, growth, and change.
But I will say I do really like the cover! And it was fun in that comfort food kind of way. I did like the MC learning to stand up for herself and I really liked her befriending Jane. Thematically, the story explores trust and the value and worth of love. The MC came from a broken marriage and the love interest got burned by a previous engagement. I liked him well enough. There were a few parts that felt forced for the sake of the plot and romantic tug and pull rather than true to his character, but that just may be that I struggled with understanding the motivations like I said.
Overall, a fluffy read when you want something surface level, clean, and still threaded with truth filled themes. Clean romance, though allusions to mistresses and definitely some pining XD A few kisses, but nothing explicit. Little violence, and nothing graphic. An off screen murder, a few hostage situations, street chases, etc. And no foul language. So, I'd say safe for early teens.
I still really respect what she does and she's the first author I ever saw do Christian YA (and fairytales no less!). Books like this one scratch the Hallmark itch. They're comfort reads for me. Predictable, happy ending, more fluff than depth and intrigue. And I do believe these books have a place. I just wouldn't say it was the best read ever. And I probably wouldn't reread this one. I may try a different series and see if I like that better.
There were several areas I struggled with in this book. It was really repetitive. Some of the lines of thought, the plot points, and even the phrases themselves became redundant. I got to a point where I wanted to skim and just see how the story turned out, which I've never done with a Dickerson book before. I didn't really understand why the characters behaved the way they did. Why they were so determined to misunderstand each other. They pined for one another, but then argued about whether or not to trust their pining or the other, and then said they did, but backed away. It was tug and pull through the whole book. And none of it felt like growth. I get starting out with the wounds, but they just complained about the wounds the whole book and then at the end...suddenly grew brave enough in spite of them? I don't know. I just wanted to see more progress, growth, and change.
But I will say I do really like the cover! And it was fun in that comfort food kind of way. I did like the MC learning to stand up for herself and I really liked her befriending Jane. Thematically, the story explores trust and the value and worth of love. The MC came from a broken marriage and the love interest got burned by a previous engagement. I liked him well enough. There were a few parts that felt forced for the sake of the plot and romantic tug and pull rather than true to his character, but that just may be that I struggled with understanding the motivations like I said.
Overall, a fluffy read when you want something surface level, clean, and still threaded with truth filled themes. Clean romance, though allusions to mistresses and definitely some pining XD A few kisses, but nothing explicit. Little violence, and nothing graphic. An off screen murder, a few hostage situations, street chases, etc. And no foul language. So, I'd say safe for early teens.
October 5, 2021
Enjoyed this new book from Dickerson. Looking forward to the new one in the series!
Historical, clean romance, intrigue/mystery - what's not to like?
Heroine was unexpected, a widow in a loveless marriage, not an ingenue. Caught up in an intrique from her late husband, she was naive but able to reach deep inside to make changes to avoid being a victim.
Well done. A few historical details I questioned, but I enjoyed the story.
Historical, clean romance, intrigue/mystery - what's not to like?
Heroine was unexpected, a widow in a loveless marriage, not an ingenue. Caught up in an intrique from her late husband, she was naive but able to reach deep inside to make changes to avoid being a victim.
Well done. A few historical details I questioned, but I enjoyed the story.
November 1, 2022
Cute, like all of Melanie Dickerson's books. I found myself getting a bit disinterested at one part, but I still enjoyed it.
not-for-me-thanks
May 9, 2022Some of Dickerson's books I find do not hit the mark for me, and this is one of them.
The writing was not that great, and from what I skimmed, the hero's name (Henry Gilchrist) was written practically every time he was mentioned, rather than using pronouns as there should be. (so instead of 'he did such-and-such' or 'that was startling to him' it was 'Henry Gilchrist did such-and-such'; 'that startled Henry Gilchrist').
I don't know if that was just a failure in editing on the publisher's part; I noticed that this series is published by a different one than she usually uses, so maybe that is why?
Anyways, not my cup of tea.
And I find the whole "imperiled young widows" thing to be a bit weird to, but that's just me.
I have high hopes for Veil of Winter!
The writing was not that great, and from what I skimmed, the hero's name (Henry Gilchrist) was written practically every time he was mentioned, rather than using pronouns as there should be. (so instead of 'he did such-and-such' or 'that was startling to him' it was 'Henry Gilchrist did such-and-such'; 'that startled Henry Gilchrist').
I don't know if that was just a failure in editing on the publisher's part; I noticed that this series is published by a different one than she usually uses, so maybe that is why?
Anyways, not my cup of tea.
And I find the whole "imperiled young widows" thing to be a bit weird to, but that's just me.
I have high hopes for Veil of Winter!
December 27, 2021
Regency Mystery
Complete with spies, murder and romance. It was a tale of intrigue without being too heavy, with good moments for thoughts.
Complete with spies, murder and romance. It was a tale of intrigue without being too heavy, with good moments for thoughts.
September 25, 2021
" This is a new Regency Romantic suspense series, Imperiled Young Widows, where in the first chapter of every book a different heroine's abusive husband gets murdered. Then a handsome hero helps her escape the bad guys who killed her awful, abusive, cheating husband. "
-From Author
Penelope
Henry
-From Author
Penelope
Henry
August 7, 2022
2.5 stars
For a book that is not even 300 pages, this was an extremely slow read. It shouldn’t have been slow - the main character kept getting kidnapped, there were a couple of murders, and plenty of sneaking and spying.
But. Yeah.
VERY slow pacing. Mostly because both Henry and Penelope spent PAGES upon PAGES thinking about the other, but not communicating it. Penelope compares Henry to her deceased husband approximately every other page, and Henry constantly flips between finding Penelope the most interesting and amazing woman he’s ever met, and condemning her for being a fortune hunter.
The story of the murder of Penelope’s husband is quite dull (you find out who is behind it maybe around 20 pages in) and what follows is a bunch of incompetent hijinks with some bumbling spies.
It also had some anachronistic moments, which is a pet peeve of mine. Phrases like “she wanted to punch her in the face” or “she slept with him” don’t belong in a Regency era story.
**read for book scavenger hunt - the author’s name contains the letters R, O, C, and K**
For a book that is not even 300 pages, this was an extremely slow read. It shouldn’t have been slow - the main character kept getting kidnapped, there were a couple of murders, and plenty of sneaking and spying.
But. Yeah.
VERY slow pacing. Mostly because both Henry and Penelope spent PAGES upon PAGES thinking about the other, but not communicating it. Penelope compares Henry to her deceased husband approximately every other page, and Henry constantly flips between finding Penelope the most interesting and amazing woman he’s ever met, and condemning her for being a fortune hunter.
The story of the murder of Penelope’s husband is quite dull (you find out who is behind it maybe around 20 pages in) and what follows is a bunch of incompetent hijinks with some bumbling spies.
It also had some anachronistic moments, which is a pet peeve of mine. Phrases like “she wanted to punch her in the face” or “she slept with him” don’t belong in a Regency era story.
**read for book scavenger hunt - the author’s name contains the letters R, O, C, and K**
August 22, 2022
When I started this book I was mentally exhausted and it was exactly the slow type of read that I needed in the moment. I really enjoyed it. But, by the end, I felt like it kept dragging on and on and on. It needed to end a long time ago.
I grew bored with the story and was only skimming the last couple chapters. It was altogether a sweet story but very romantic (but in a clean way) that I didn't entirely enjoy.
So a great story for people wanting a nice romance mixed with spies but not my favorite book.
I grew bored with the story and was only skimming the last couple chapters. It was altogether a sweet story but very romantic (but in a clean way) that I didn't entirely enjoy.
So a great story for people wanting a nice romance mixed with spies but not my favorite book.
November 5, 2022
Regency Era Historical Romance💕
Lady💃💔 Penelope finds herself married to an Uncaring earl👺 so far in debt that he will do anything to get money💰 including treason against the Crown👑. Unfortunately or fortunately, he is stabbed🗡 to death in his bedroom, freeing her from his neglect.
The plans he has stolen to sell to France remain hidden somewhere in their home. A cryptic note he leaves behind gives her scant clues.
I got this ebook from Amazon📚 with KU.
Lady💃💔 Penelope finds herself married to an Uncaring earl👺 so far in debt that he will do anything to get money💰 including treason against the Crown👑. Unfortunately or fortunately, he is stabbed🗡 to death in his bedroom, freeing her from his neglect.
The plans he has stolen to sell to France remain hidden somewhere in their home. A cryptic note he leaves behind gives her scant clues.
I got this ebook from Amazon📚 with KU.
November 20, 2021
Not a favorite
I have read so many Dickerson books and enjoyed them immensely. This one was so dull in comparison. It seemed very formulaic and similar to so many books of this genre as to be boring. I am not at all interested in reading the second book of the series.
I have read so many Dickerson books and enjoyed them immensely. This one was so dull in comparison. It seemed very formulaic and similar to so many books of this genre as to be boring. I am not at all interested in reading the second book of the series.
October 5, 2021
The first Melanie Dickerson books I read were the Regency Spies of London series, which I really enjoyed, especially the 3rd book. So my expectations were high. I felt like this book fell a little short. There were certain aspects of the plot, like the multiple kidnappings, that seemed unlikely. I also wanted a little bit more emotional connection to the characters, but I felt disconnected a lot of the time.
All that said, it was entertaining, it contains Christian themes and scripture, and it was wholesome, so it still ranks fairly high on my "how well am I entertained" star rating.
All that said, it was entertaining, it contains Christian themes and scripture, and it was wholesome, so it still ranks fairly high on my "how well am I entertained" star rating.
May 6, 2022
Can I just start by saying (or writing) that there will always be a place in my heart for Melanie Dickerson. Her writing has both inspired me and amazed me, and I've reread some of my favorites too many times to count. However, I have ventured away from her medieval books a few times, and have only been disappointed. However, I think the issue may not be timeline, but Mrs.Dickerson's inspiration, or rather, lack of it. Where her earlier books betrayed her care and love for the characters and plot, most recent stories seem like mere products put out to rake in cash. The Hagenheim series, in particular, seems the work of much time and effort. In those, she crafted an intricate world and complex familial relationships with characters as real as my next door neighbor. I know that being an author is a profession, but I cannot bear to read something that an author didn't even really enjoy writing. To me this book is a prime example of that. Jane was the only character who seemed remotely real, the others bland and giving me no reason at all to sympathize with them except for their own begging for me to do so. The plot was random and nothing seemed to fit together, rather everything seemed to happen to fill up pages. Nothing about this book seemed inspired in any way, it was merely the author following a formula she has devised and counting on and using people's love and loyalty for her earlier books to sell this one. To be honest, I hated this book. I felt like I was watching a Hallmark movie that got something in the chemical equation wrong. I sincerely hope Mrs.Dickerson finds inspiration, and that she can venture from the well-trodden path to new heights. She did it with her first novel, the Healer's Apprentice, in using the supernatural. She did it in the Fairest Beauty with a flawed protagonist and a cast of interesting outcasts. I love Dickerson's storytelling and her intricate world's she builds of her realistic characters, so for her sake and for the sake of all her readers, I hope she will rekindle the true love she has with inventing stories, not following recipes!
January 9, 2022
I love Melanie Dickerson's writing and have enjoyed all I have written by her. This book was not one of my favorites, however. I felt the writing was not quite up to the same par as others I have read by her. That being said, I very much enjoyed the storyline.
May 31, 2022
This past week, I was totally in the mood for an action-packed, sweet, historical romance, and A Perilous Plan by Melanie Dickerson delivered! I liked the premise for this novel from the moment I read the back cover. I felt like it would be a unique read: a young widow solving the murder of her husband and saving England in the process — too cool! At its core, A Perilous Plan is Penelope’s journey from a cowed, long-suffering, mentally and emotionally abused wife to a courageous, strong, take-care-of-herself heroine. Like all journeys there are some setbacks, but ultimately, Penelope comes out the other side of this story a healed, independent woman who knows what she wants out of her life. I could relate to her #1 weakness: caving to the needs and wants of everyone else in order to keep the peace and make others happy. I love that over the course of this story, Penelope learns the value of saying, “NO!” I also love that she doesn’t need a man to save her. She adores Henry for riding in on his noble steed and saving the day, but she doesn’t need him to. As much as this is Penelope’s journey to independence, it is also Henry’s journey to breaking down the walls around his heart. I love the relationship that builds between Henry and Penelope. Their initial meeting eventually leads to a deep friendship and that leads to love — the real kind of love. The love based on wanting what’s best for each other. In addition to all of this, I really enjoyed the pacing of the story, and I found the storyline to be highly engaging. I definitely did not want to put this book down. Because of this I am very much looking forward to reading the next two books in the series. All in all, A Perilous Plan is an excellent read, one I highly recommend!
I checked out a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com via my Kindle Unlimited Subscription on March 24, 2022, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I checked out a copy of this novel in eBook form from Amazon.com via my Kindle Unlimited Subscription on March 24, 2022, in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 25, 2023
I hate having to write these type of reviews. I adore Dickerson's writing. She's my all time favorite author. But this wasn't a book I was fond of.
I'll start off with the good: it had a table of contents, y'all! You read that right!! She did get right to the story, which I liked. Jane was the best thing about the whole book, I need more of her!
Now to the not so great. I read as much as I could before I just started skimming. I was just bored.
It felt similar to Dickerson's other Regency series. As first, I couldn't help but feel bad for Penelope, but then as the book progressed I just didn't connect with her or Henry. I feel like some things were being overly stated.
It just felt like there was really nothing going on. The writing seemed a bit simpler than in Dickerson's other books. A few of the chapters felt choppy in their transitions. A lot of the elements just felt rushed to me.
I'll continue this series, but only out of curiosity.
Content:
Language: use of d*mnable.
Romance: kisses, caresses, embraces. Husband tells girl to take a lover. Husband has many lovers. Woman is practically a harlot.
Violence: kidnappings. Stabbings. Shootings. Character poisoned. Woman is slapped. Woman imagines clawing bad guys' eyes out.
Age recommendation: 14+
I'll start off with the good: it had a table of contents, y'all! You read that right!! She did get right to the story, which I liked. Jane was the best thing about the whole book, I need more of her!
Now to the not so great. I read as much as I could before I just started skimming. I was just bored.
It felt similar to Dickerson's other Regency series. As first, I couldn't help but feel bad for Penelope, but then as the book progressed I just didn't connect with her or Henry. I feel like some things were being overly stated.
It just felt like there was really nothing going on. The writing seemed a bit simpler than in Dickerson's other books. A few of the chapters felt choppy in their transitions. A lot of the elements just felt rushed to me.
I'll continue this series, but only out of curiosity.
Content:
Language: use of d*mnable.
Romance: kisses, caresses, embraces. Husband tells girl to take a lover. Husband has many lovers. Woman is practically a harlot.
Violence: kidnappings. Stabbings. Shootings. Character poisoned. Woman is slapped. Woman imagines clawing bad guys' eyes out.
Age recommendation: 14+
April 13, 2022
It took me awhile to finish this one, I had trouble staying into it. I also found that the writing in this one was as polished as most of Melanie Dickerson's books are, it felt a bit stilted.
Penelope is living with her grandmother after the death of her parents. Her grandmother found Penelope a rich husband and even with misgivings she married him and then found him to be a terrible man with absolutely no feelings for her, a gambler and a womanizer. He dies leaving her penniless and she returns to her grandmother, who must now find her another rich husband - ah, the man who will inherit her deceased husband's estate is a rich man... But Penelope has learned her lesson.
She also learns something else, her husband was a thief, and there are French enemies who desperately want the information that her husband stole and are willing to go to any extent to get it.
Henry Gilchrist is part of an investigative team trying to recover the information and stop the French spies. He saves Penelope after the French try to kidnap her and together they for a plan to keep her safe and thwart the French.
This is a clean read.
Penelope is living with her grandmother after the death of her parents. Her grandmother found Penelope a rich husband and even with misgivings she married him and then found him to be a terrible man with absolutely no feelings for her, a gambler and a womanizer. He dies leaving her penniless and she returns to her grandmother, who must now find her another rich husband - ah, the man who will inherit her deceased husband's estate is a rich man... But Penelope has learned her lesson.
She also learns something else, her husband was a thief, and there are French enemies who desperately want the information that her husband stole and are willing to go to any extent to get it.
Henry Gilchrist is part of an investigative team trying to recover the information and stop the French spies. He saves Penelope after the French try to kidnap her and together they for a plan to keep her safe and thwart the French.
This is a clean read.
September 7, 2023
Did not finish.
I got about a third of the way through and was so bored that I was skipping paragraphs, trying to see when the story was going to get interesting. And that’s after a murder and a kidnapping had already occurred.
The plot was simplistic, the characters were flat and it was not historically accurate. For instance, the grandmother, the heir and the widow were to attend a dinner party at a friend’s house just 3 nights after Lord H died. The dead husband is still lying in his coffin in the drawing room and yet this author would have us believe his widow was going out to a dinner party. What about observing the months of deep mourning, the months of gradual return to society? This was the thing that I could not get past. Until then I was disappointed but was trudging along, hoping the book would improve.
I don’t understand what I’m missing that all these other readers are seeing in the books. I thought that maybe this was her first book but it’s not.
This author obviously is loved by many fans but she is not my cup of tea.
I got about a third of the way through and was so bored that I was skipping paragraphs, trying to see when the story was going to get interesting. And that’s after a murder and a kidnapping had already occurred.
The plot was simplistic, the characters were flat and it was not historically accurate. For instance, the grandmother, the heir and the widow were to attend a dinner party at a friend’s house just 3 nights after Lord H died. The dead husband is still lying in his coffin in the drawing room and yet this author would have us believe his widow was going out to a dinner party. What about observing the months of deep mourning, the months of gradual return to society? This was the thing that I could not get past. Until then I was disappointed but was trudging along, hoping the book would improve.
I don’t understand what I’m missing that all these other readers are seeing in the books. I thought that maybe this was her first book but it’s not.
This author obviously is loved by many fans but she is not my cup of tea.
November 22, 2022
2.5 stars rounded up.
I will say, I quite liked the detail where Penelope is touched at Jane's use of her Christian name, noting that her family and husband almost never used it.
When I tell you this started off slow, it was
muy turtley. I thought I was never going to make it. The writing felt unpolished and adolescent, the characters were made of cardboard, and for some reason I just didn't care about the situation happening to the main character.
And then somewhere down the line everything changed.
Well, not everything. I remain unconvinced that the characters had more than one dimension, but the romance was just so sweet and I couldn't handle it. I read like 75% of this in one sitting, and didn't particularly want to stop. Maybe it was just nice to see a romance where the couple was thinking carefully about what virtues they looked for in a spouse, and praying for proper discernment and guidance in making vocational decisions. Jane (the friend character) was much more interesting, and when she was introduced was when things started improving for me; not only were we getting away from the main plot (which I didn't care for), but there was more emphasis on the romance. More what I was expecting.
I'm disappointed - this was my first book by this author, and I was expecting more. Mostly I had constant questions, but it did suck me in, so it definitely gets points for that. I'll probably read the next one because I'm the worst.
*"...theatre is my favorite."
"Shakespeare?"
"Of course."
"Christopher Marlowe? Ben Jonson?"
"Yes, and some more modern ones, as long as the subject matter is not vulgar."
What does she think Shakespeare is, exactly? Vulgar is like, Shakespeare's middle name, it's one of his main things.
I will say, I quite liked the detail where Penelope is touched at Jane's use of her Christian name, noting that her family and husband almost never used it.
When I tell you this started off slow, it was
muy turtley. I thought I was never going to make it. The writing felt unpolished and adolescent, the characters were made of cardboard, and for some reason I just didn't care about the situation happening to the main character.And then somewhere down the line everything changed.
Well, not everything. I remain unconvinced that the characters had more than one dimension, but the romance was just so sweet and I couldn't handle it. I read like 75% of this in one sitting, and didn't particularly want to stop. Maybe it was just nice to see a romance where the couple was thinking carefully about what virtues they looked for in a spouse, and praying for proper discernment and guidance in making vocational decisions. Jane (the friend character) was much more interesting, and when she was introduced was when things started improving for me; not only were we getting away from the main plot (which I didn't care for), but there was more emphasis on the romance. More what I was expecting.
I'm disappointed - this was my first book by this author, and I was expecting more. Mostly I had constant questions, but it did suck me in, so it definitely gets points for that. I'll probably read the next one because I'm the worst.
*"...theatre is my favorite."
"Shakespeare?"
"Of course."
"Christopher Marlowe? Ben Jonson?"
"Yes, and some more modern ones, as long as the subject matter is not vulgar."
What does she think Shakespeare is, exactly? Vulgar is like, Shakespeare's middle name, it's one of his main things.
September 28, 2023
A Perilous Plan, by Melanie Dickerson, tells the tale of Penelope Hammond. This young woman loses her husband after only five years of marriage. She has been left as a widow with very little means to survive. Penelope wonders how she will ever discover why her husband, David was targeted and murdered!
When Penelope is befriended by Henry Gilchrist, a colleague of her husband’s, she has no idea how her world is about to change. Henry and David had been on a committee together that was intent on protecting England from France. However, after David stole some critical papers, his death was eminent!
Now Penelope and Henry must locate both these papers and the criminals behind all the devious activity. When Penelope is kidnapped by some French spies, you will not believe what she does to escape their trap. Hold tight for an exciting end to this tale!
January 11, 2025
This book doesn't live up to the level of most Melanie Dickerson books I have read. Most of her books are off the charts, five stars. This one was just an okay, silly read. There was a lot of telling instead of showing, simplistic characterization, and a lot of repetitiveness. I'm also used to Dickerson nailing the setting so I feel immersed in it, but this felt like a Bridgerton episode without the sex. No way a young widow would stop wearing black two weeks after the funeral, for instance. No way does a gentleman wash a gentle woman's feet in the regency era. And no way her reputation wouldn't have been completely compromised by SO MANY instances throughout this book. I'm hoping this was just a case of Dickerson facing a deadline and having to rush to finish a manuscript. Also, the book was still fun, so I'll be giving the 2nd in this series a try, hoping it's better.
November 15, 2021
Lovely to see
It was lovely to watch Penelopy blossom. After the neglectful marriage and violent death of her husband the shock of hearing of his mistress, gambling debts and treason kept her in shock for awhile. Even with three kidnappings she slowly started to emerge as herself. After being orphaned at 5 followed by a neglectful childhood then an even more neglectful marriage old habits and fears are hard to overcome. Finding Jane and Mrs. Gilchrist helped because finally someone cared even a little bit.
It was lovely to watch Penelopy blossom. After the neglectful marriage and violent death of her husband the shock of hearing of his mistress, gambling debts and treason kept her in shock for awhile. Even with three kidnappings she slowly started to emerge as herself. After being orphaned at 5 followed by a neglectful childhood then an even more neglectful marriage old habits and fears are hard to overcome. Finding Jane and Mrs. Gilchrist helped because finally someone cared even a little bit.
December 30, 2021
Penelope Hammond has been married for five years to a man who barely acknowledges her presence and cheats on her. According to her imperious grandmother, this is quite common in Regency England so she should just accept it. After all, he has a title and is wealthy. When he is murdered, Penelope finds herself thrust into intrigue and danger, relying on the help of handsome Henry Gilchrist, who knew her husband. Along the way, Penelope must discover her self-worth and strength. This is quite an entertaining Regency romance. I look forward to the next book in the series.
November 12, 2021
Fast paced regency romance
As a huge fan of Melanie Dickerson, I had to read her new surprise release! I did enjoy the book and could hardly put it down. It is very fast paced and interesting. I liked the main characters very much and found Henry a perfect male lead. I'd say the ending is slightly anti-climactic but is still satisfying and doesn't detract from the book. Good read.
As a huge fan of Melanie Dickerson, I had to read her new surprise release! I did enjoy the book and could hardly put it down. It is very fast paced and interesting. I liked the main characters very much and found Henry a perfect male lead. I'd say the ending is slightly anti-climactic but is still satisfying and doesn't detract from the book. Good read.
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